Serving
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Chicken Curry, Sumatra
Indonesia - Sumatra   -   Gulai Ayam
Serves
Effort:
Sched:
DoAhead:		 4 w/rice  
***
1-1/4 hr  
Yes		 This outstandingly delicious curry is simple and quite easy to make. It reheats very well so can be made well ahead of need. Preparing to serve dinner to a mixed couple (carni & veg), I created also a vegetarian version, Potato Curry, Sumatra which also turned out very well.






1-2/3
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4
4
3
3
3
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2
10
2
1/4
2-1/2
1/2
2
1/4 		#
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oz

cl
oz

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T
oz
t
t
t
t

in 		Chicken Meat (1)
-- Paste
Coconut Cream (2)
Chilis dry (3)
Garlic
Onion
Candlenuts (4)
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Oil
Coconut Milk
Coriander Seed
Turmeric
Salt
Palm Sugar (5)
Salam Leaf (6)
Galangal
    Prep   -   (25 min)
  1. Cut CHICKEN.into moderate size chunks (see Note-1).
  2. Without shaking up the can, open a 14 ounce can of Coconut Milk. Skim 4 ounces of the thick cream off the top for the paste. Reserve the rest for the curry.
  3. Grind the CHILIS to powder in your spice grinder. Crush GARLIC and chop fine. Slice ONION thin and chop fine. Crush Candlenuts. Mix all together in a large mortar and pound to paste,
  4. Mix Coconut Cream into the paste until it is all even.
    5. Run   -   (35 min)
  5. In a spacious sauté pan or wok, heat Oil moderately hot. Stir in Paste and fry stirring until aromatic, about 1 minute.
  6. Stir in Chicken until coated with paste, then stir in all Remaining items. Simmer over moderate flame, uncovered, stirring often until sauce is reduced by about 1/3, then cover and simmer slowly until chicken is tender, about 1/2 hour total.
  7. Serve hot with plenty of steamed jasmine rice.
NOTES:
  1. Chicken:   Weight is skinless / boneless. Thighs and leg meat should be used rather than breast for much better flavor. The pattern recipe calls for a 3-1/2 pound chicken cut into serving pieces.
  2. Coconut Cream:   No, you don't have to open a whole can - see instruction step 2.
  3. Chilis:   Thai or Arbols are good. Four makes a pretty mild curry. For details see our Chili Page.
  4. Candlenuts:   If you don't have these, substitute 4 raw Macadamia Nuts or 5 raw Cashews or 9 raw almonds. For details see our Candlenut page.
  5. Palm Sugar:   If you don't have this, substitute a lightly refined sugar like Turbinado - a little less tasty but tolerable.
  6. Salam Leaf:   If you don't have these, you may have a problem. Curry leaves are the best substitute but bay leaves, often suggested, are not so suitable. If that's all you have, use just one and a half teaspoon of lime juice. For details see our Daun Salam page.
  7. U.S. measure: t=teaspoon, T=Tablespoon, c=cup, qt=quart, oz=ounce, #=pound, cl=clove in=inch

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